History Anime / PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl

''Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl'' (ポケットモンスターダイヤモンド＆パール ''Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl'') is the third ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime series that ran from 2006 to 2010 in Japan and from 2007 to 2011 in America. This region has Ash going through [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Sinnoh]] to take part in the Sinnoh League. Dawn, a Pokemon Coordinator, and Brock, returning once again from the previous series, are his companions. Along the way, they foil the plots of Team Galactic and Pokemon Hunter J.

* AnAesop: The overarching one of this series seems to be finding that middle ground between ThePowerOfFriendship and MightMakesRight. While friendship is powerful, it [[HardTruthAesop is often no match for real skill]] (Paul is completely dominant in his and Ash's rivalry for much of the arc), but at the same time, focusing on strength without taking care of your trainee's mental well being can end up squandering potential and, at worse, end up inflicting serious emotional scars. (Which Chimchar is dealing with for much of the arc thanks to Paul's even more extreme methods to unlock his potential.) Finding that good balance is needed if you want your trainee to reach their peak. (Ash ultimately managing to unlock Infernape's true potential thanks to taking care of his emotional needs in ''addition'' to kicking up his own training when it comes to his Pokemon as a whole.)

* {{Expy}}: It's been noted that Chimchar's whole arc parallels that of Gohan's from ''Franchise/DragonBall''. Introduced as a 'child' who can output extreme power when push comes to shove, ends up undergoing severe psychological trauma thanks to being put in dangerous situations, slowly maturing and growing over the story before finally coming into their own at the end. Infernape unlocking his true potential when facing Paul at the League even has similarities to Gohan unlocking Super Saiyan 2 against Cell. To cap it off, Infernape was based on Sun Wukong, from which Saiyans share their original creation basis.

* AnAesop: The overarching one of this series seems to be finding that middle ground between ThePowerOfFriendship and MightMakesRight. While friendship is powerful, it [[HardTruthsAesop is often no match for real skill]] (Paul is completely dominant in his and Ash's rivalry for much of the arc), but at the same time, focusing on strength without taking care of your trainee's mental well being can end up squandering potential and, at worse, end up inflicting serious emotional scars. (Which Chimchar is dealing with for much of the arc thanks to Paul's even more extreme methods to unlock his potential.) Finding that good balance is needed if you want your trainee to reach their peak. (Ash ultimately managing to unlock Infernape's true potential thanks to taking care of his emotional needs in ''addition'' to kicking up his own training when it comes to his Pokemon as a whole.)

* HardTruthAesop: Empathy and believing in yourself is ''not'' a match for actual skill. Thinking that it is will only lead to humiliation.

* {{Deconstruction}}: The series-long rivalry between Ash and Paul is one of ThePowerOfFriendship and the AllLovingHero. Ash's empathy and bonds with his Pokemon has caused him to become exceedingly irrational in battle, [[LeeroyJenkins never planning ahead]] and thinking he can overcome any matchup just by believing in himself. Ash's kindness also leads him to befriending weaker specimens that he stubbornly insists are just as strong as any other, only to be [[RealityEnsues proven wrong time and again]].

* BreakingOldTrends: Ash finally catching a pseudo legendary Pokémon, or at least a member of its line, rather than simply befriending it and then letting it go.

* {{Foil}}: Paul to Ash. While Ash believes in ThePowerOfFriendship, journeys because he loves the adventure and is kind and helpful to others, Paul believes only in pure power and raw stats is a trainer only to win, and looks down upon anyone he considers weaker than himself. These fundamental differences are what make up the basis of their rivalry and animosity towards one another.

* {{Foil}} Paul to Ash. While Ash believes in ThePowerOfFriendship, journeys because he loves the adventure and is kind and helpful to others, Paul believes only in pure power and raw stats is a trainer only to win, and looks down upon anyone he considers weaker than himself. These fundamental differences are what make up the basis of their rivalry and animosity towards one another.

** "When Pokémon Worlds Collide!" establishes the bitter rivalry between Ash and Paul, [[ShadowArchetype a ruthless Pokémon trainer who looks down upon weak Pokémon and the trainers who value them]], through their first battle. It ends in a draw, indicating that the two are on even footing despite their different philosophies, and we are given a glimpse of [[AbusiveParent Paul's treatment of Chimchar before it gets any real focus]].

** Paul is Ash's rival in the Sinnoh region, and the one who causes Ash and his Pokémon the most grief. [[ShadowArchetype He is the polar opposite of Ash in terms of ideals and methods]], especially when it came to Chimchar, and his strength as a trainer enables him to give Ash his most devastating defeats in the entire series. Even Ash's personal rival, Gary Oak, was only a friendly SmugSnake compared to the soul-crushing battler that is Paul. It is because of Paul that [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness Ash treats the Sinnoh League as something more than just a casual opportunity for the championship]] unlike the other Leagues he has partaken.

** Cynthia's sister is a minor character who doesn't have a sprite of her own, however she still appears in the games. In the anime, however, only Cynthia and her grandmother appeared.

** While Cyrus summoning both Dialga and Palkia is the climax of ''VideoGame/PokemonPlatinum'', Giratina does ''not'' show up to abduct Cyrus and take him back to the Distortion World (or [[Anime/PokemonGiratinaAndTheSkyWarrior Reverse World]] in the anime's case). In fact, Giratina doesn't show up in the ''Diamond & Pearl'' series beyond a quick illusion casted by a Mitchell's Murkrow in "Try for the Family Stone!" and [[ImagineSpot a boss fantasy]] by Meowth in "Dealing With a Fierce Double Ditto Drama!".

** "Sandshrew's Locker!" features Mira who has lost her Sandshrew after her town was flooded. The Pokémon was in the Poké Ball for decades deep under the water. If Ash and friends hadn't rescued it, who knows how much longer it would have stayed there.

** Pokémon Hunter J serves as a recurring villain for Ash and friends in the absence of Team Galactic, first appearing in "Mutiny in the Bounty!" and then goes on to appear in more several episodes hunting down special Pokémon like an Aura Sphere Riolu and a Regigigas at Snowpoint Temple. Her last appearance coincides with Team Galactic finale, where she is hired by Jupiter to capture the Lake Guardians for them, a bounty that proves to be her last.
** Team Galactic did not make its presence known until "A Secret Sphere of Influence!", 36 episodes into the series. Despite this, they become a recurring antagonistic force for Ash and friends starting with "Enter Galactic!" and continue to make major moves in Celestic Town, Iron Island and of course, Mt. Coronet where they attempt to control Dialga and Palkia.

* BigBad: Cyrus is the mastermind behind Team Galactic's activities, plotting to capture the Lake Guardians and forge Red Chains to control Dialga and Palkia for his bid of remaking a world without emotions. Not only is he the boss of Team Galactic, but he also firmly establishes himself to be at the top of the villainous hierarchy in Sinnoh by hiring fellow recurring villain Hunter J to capture the Lake Guardians for him.

* DiabolusExMachina: Tobias, the trainer ultimately defeats Ash in the Lily of the Valley Conference, uses [[OlympusMons Darkai and Latios]] at his disposal. No explanation is given as to how he got these rare and powerful Pokémon or who he is exactly. He's simply there to quickly knock Ash out of the tournament in a blaze of glory (as Ash is the only trainer who is able to defeat two of Tobias's overpowered team where everyone else couldn't even defeat ''one'').

** [[EvilPoacher Pokémon Hunter J]] is perhaps one of the most ruthless villains that ever debuted in the anime, capturing Pokémon with her [[TakenForGranite petrification ray]] instead of the usual nets and cages, as well as being willingly to kill anyone to accomplish her goals, including [[WouldHurtAChild children]] and [[BadBoss her own men]]. It is telling that she is one of the few characters that is implied to have been ''killed off'' in her final appearance because of how horrible she is by the show's standards.
** Team Galactic may seem to be your standard villainous team at first glance, but their goal of deliberately destroying and remaking the world through Dialga and Palkia puts them above all their predecessors; especially with their cold-hearted boss, [[BigBad Cyrus]], who is more than willingly [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness to abandon them once he obtains his world]].

* DiabolusExMachina: Tobias, the trainer ultimately defeats Ash in the Lily of the Valley Conference, uses [[OlympusMon Darkai and Latios]] at his disposal. No explanation is given as to how he got these rare and powerful Pokémon or who he is exactly. He's simply there to quickly knock Ash out of the tournament in a blaze of glory (as Ash is the only trainer who is able to defeat two of Tobias's overpowered team where everyone else couldn't even defeat ''one'').

* AdaptedOut: There's enough here for the overall anime to have [[AdaptedOut/{{Pokemon}} its own page]], but here are some specific examples for this series:

Now collectively known as ''Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl''.

''Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl'' (ポケットモンスターダイヤモンド＆パール ''Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl'') is the third ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime series that ran from 2006 to 2010 in Japan and from 2007 to 2011 in America. This region has Ash going through [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Sinnoh]] to take part in the Sinnoh League. Dawn, a Pokemon Coordinator, and Brock, returning once again from the previous series, are his companions. Along the way, they foil the plots of Team Galactic and Pokemon Hunter J.